Cross County State Championship

The 26th annual CIF State Cross Country Championships was held on November 24 at Woodward Park in Fresno. In total, 202 runners attended the State Meet on Saturday, two of them being Gridley High School runners. Brennah Payne, a sophomore at GHS, finished with a time of 21:27. Teammate Averie Roberts completed the rac...

The 26th annual CIF State Cross Country Championships was held on November 24 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

In total, 202 runners attended the State Meet on Saturday, two of them being Gridley High School runners. Brennah Payne, a sophomore at GHS, finished with a time of 21:27. Teammate Averie Roberts completed the race at 22:06.

Coach Shelley Lane was very pleased with the girls’ performance this past season and at the State Championship.

“The girls trained very hard this season. I am glad I had the opportunity to coach these outstanding runners.”

Averie Roberts, a senior, is the first Gridley High School girl to compete all four years of high school at the State Meet—2009: 23:08; 2010: 21:18; 2011: 20:42; 2012: 22:06.

Roberts broke the Gridley High School Cross Country record at the BVL Championships with a time of 20:17.

“I will miss coaching Averie Roberts. She is one of the most talented athletes I have had the opportunity to coach,” commented Lane.

Payne also competed at the State Championship her freshman year. She finished with a time of 21:01.

Roberts is currently on the Gridley High School Girls Soccer team. She and Payne will run track in the spring.